Ryunosuke
2018-12-06, 08:26 AM
I made an older attempt (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?556984-Homebrew-Necromancer-body-guard-spell-Dread-Knight) at this ages ago and have since decided to reassess the actual combat power and gains per spell level after realizing how much stronger simple Planar Binding was over the original spell (there was a lot of powerful uses even with assisted summoning spells alone, let alone trapping other far stronger creatures with Magic Circles and so forth) so I decided to buff this spell, remove the 1 of limit, and add a material cost. This is strictly a martial meat shield/beat stick, but if this one can get balanced/tweaked properly, then I may create a lesser mage type variant or the like at a later date, or alternate perma-animations at a gold cost for other existing undead as well.
Changelog
12/7 - Fixed Hit Die typo for 8th and 9th level casts, clearly specified starting proficiency bonus and proficient saves/skills
Dread Knight
4nd-level necromancy
Casting Time: 5 Minutes
Range: 5 Feet
Components: V, S, M (A jewel worth at least 250 gp per spell level cast at, which the spell consumes)
Duration: Instantaneous
This spell creates a personal undead thrall to fight for you. Choose a corpse from a Medium or Small humanoid within range. Your magic imbues the body with concentrated necromantic energy, creating an undead warrior to fight for you. The target becomes a Dread Knight which is an undead with the following statistics:
Medium Undead, Neutral Evil
Armor Class: 9
Hit Points: 8d10 + 16 (64)
Speed: 30 ft.
Str 15 (+2) Dex 8 (-1) Con 15 (+2) Int 11 (+0) Wis10 (+0) Cha 5 (-3)
Saving Throws: Str + 6, Con +6
Skills: Perception +3
Damage Resistances: Necrotic
Damage Immunities: Poison
Condition Immunities: Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Paralyzed, Poisoned
Senses: Darkvidion 60 ft
Languages: Common + 1 of creator's choice (that they know)
Undead Nature: A death knight doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.
Undead Fortitude: If damage reduces the Dread Knight to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5+the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the Dread Knight drops to 1 hit point instead.
Multiattack: The Dread Knight may make up to 2 attacks with its Action on any normal turn, using whatever weapons it has on hand.
The Dread Knight created is proficient with any and all equipment given to them, as well as Strength saving throws, Constitution saving throws, and Perception checks.
On each of your turns, you can use a Bonus Action to mentally Command your Dread Knight if they are within 100 feet of you. You decide what action the Knight will take and where it will move during its next turn(s), or you can issue a general Command, such as to guard a particular chamber or corridor. If you issue no commands, the Knight only defends itself against hostile creatures. Once given an order, they will continue to follow it until its task is complete.
At Higher Levels: The following upcast benefits are all cumulative with the previous ones, but can only be applied to a newly created Dread Knight:
When you cast this spell using a 5th-level spell slot or higher, the Dread Knight gains 2d10 Hit Dice, +1 Strength/Con, +1 Proficiency, and Immunity to effects that Turn Undead.
When you cast this spell using a 6th-level spell slot or higher, the Dread Knight gains 2d10 Hit Dice, +1 Str/Con, and Resistance to Radiant damage.
When you cast this spell using a 7th-level spell slot or higher, the Dread Knight gains 2d10 Hit Dice, +1 Str/Con, +1 Proficiency, and Immunity to Necrotic and Radiant damage.
When you cast this spell using a 8th-level spell slot or higher, the Dread Knight gains 2d10 Hit Dice, +1 Str/Con, and it may take 3 attacks with its Action instead of only 2.
When you cast this spell using a 9th-level spell slot or higher, the Dread Knight gains 4d10 Hit Dice, +1 Str/Con, +1 Proficiency, and any weapon they wield is treated as a magic weapon for the purposes of damage resistances or immunity.
Changelog
12/7 - Fixed Hit Die typo for 8th and 9th level casts, clearly specified starting proficiency bonus and proficient saves/skills
Dread Knight
4nd-level necromancy
Casting Time: 5 Minutes
Range: 5 Feet
Components: V, S, M (A jewel worth at least 250 gp per spell level cast at, which the spell consumes)
Duration: Instantaneous
This spell creates a personal undead thrall to fight for you. Choose a corpse from a Medium or Small humanoid within range. Your magic imbues the body with concentrated necromantic energy, creating an undead warrior to fight for you. The target becomes a Dread Knight which is an undead with the following statistics:
Medium Undead, Neutral Evil
Armor Class: 9
Hit Points: 8d10 + 16 (64)
Speed: 30 ft.
Str 15 (+2) Dex 8 (-1) Con 15 (+2) Int 11 (+0) Wis10 (+0) Cha 5 (-3)
Saving Throws: Str + 6, Con +6
Skills: Perception +3
Damage Resistances: Necrotic
Damage Immunities: Poison
Condition Immunities: Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Paralyzed, Poisoned
Senses: Darkvidion 60 ft
Languages: Common + 1 of creator's choice (that they know)
Undead Nature: A death knight doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.
Undead Fortitude: If damage reduces the Dread Knight to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5+the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the Dread Knight drops to 1 hit point instead.
Multiattack: The Dread Knight may make up to 2 attacks with its Action on any normal turn, using whatever weapons it has on hand.
The Dread Knight created is proficient with any and all equipment given to them, as well as Strength saving throws, Constitution saving throws, and Perception checks.
On each of your turns, you can use a Bonus Action to mentally Command your Dread Knight if they are within 100 feet of you. You decide what action the Knight will take and where it will move during its next turn(s), or you can issue a general Command, such as to guard a particular chamber or corridor. If you issue no commands, the Knight only defends itself against hostile creatures. Once given an order, they will continue to follow it until its task is complete.
At Higher Levels: The following upcast benefits are all cumulative with the previous ones, but can only be applied to a newly created Dread Knight:
When you cast this spell using a 5th-level spell slot or higher, the Dread Knight gains 2d10 Hit Dice, +1 Strength/Con, +1 Proficiency, and Immunity to effects that Turn Undead.
When you cast this spell using a 6th-level spell slot or higher, the Dread Knight gains 2d10 Hit Dice, +1 Str/Con, and Resistance to Radiant damage.
When you cast this spell using a 7th-level spell slot or higher, the Dread Knight gains 2d10 Hit Dice, +1 Str/Con, +1 Proficiency, and Immunity to Necrotic and Radiant damage.
When you cast this spell using a 8th-level spell slot or higher, the Dread Knight gains 2d10 Hit Dice, +1 Str/Con, and it may take 3 attacks with its Action instead of only 2.
When you cast this spell using a 9th-level spell slot or higher, the Dread Knight gains 4d10 Hit Dice, +1 Str/Con, +1 Proficiency, and any weapon they wield is treated as a magic weapon for the purposes of damage resistances or immunity.